Travel & Hotspots

Marie Claire in Malibu

You would think that everyone in Malibu dresses very hip and according to the latest fashion. Nothing could be further from the truth. When our kids came home the first week of school in their fashionable city clothes, I soon got the question if they could also go to school in their tracksuits. And indeed, all the kids come to school in shorts and jerseys (preferably one size too big). Probably because so many physical lessons are given outside. They have at least half an hour of PE (physical education) every day and during breaks they play basketball, football, or soccer on a mega large sports field. Soon, jeans and dress shoes were replaced by basketball shorts and sneakers.

They love it. Not only do the kids dress comfortably, but all the adults also jump into their sportswear, sweatpants, or loose jerseys in the morning. Not only because they are on their way to their workout, but because it just feels great. Because when I see them later that day, they are still wearing that outfit. It doesn’t look fashionable, but it does look very relaxed. Hair not blow-dried and no makeup on. Just being yourself without feeling judged or looked at. And suddenly I come to a point. Do you remember that I wrote a few weeks ago about the fact that I don’t run into any famous people here? My friend suddenly called me Hugh Grant, who in the movie Notting Hill runs into the very famous Anna played by Julia Roberts. He has no idea who she is.

”It doesn’t look fashionable, but it does look very relaxed”

Well, I now know what it is. Of course, I am aware of the greats of the earth and of course I know what they look like. I am not completely naive, but I simply did not recognize them. For example, I had a chat with a man in gray sweatpants with somewhat messy, clearly brown-dyed hair with his nice South American-looking wife in leggings and an oversized sweater. We talked about fresh vegetables and what kids do and don’t like. Very normal. Until suddenly teenage girls walked by giggling and I realized that man was Matthew McConaughey.

Or those countless times that I ended my walk on the beach at Point Dume in the morning and he started running with his dog and asked: ‘Hi, how are you today?’ and it was only after the third time that I saw that this man without the long hair and big mustache looks a lot like Anthony Kiedis. Or it’s just normal.

Or that time in Starbucks here in the village. A very tall woman with giant hands and red-painted nails stood at the front of the line. Her voice sounded like… Caitlyn Jenner.

They are really here, but everyone is so relaxed and themselves in their daily attire that it doesn’t matter at all who you are or what you do and what you wear. Wonderful.